Murder rate rises in Stark; most blamed on gunfire

Thursday

Dec 28, 2017 at 3:57 PMJan 2, 2018 at 11:01 AM

It was especially deadly year for women.

Gun-related killings are up significantly this year in Stark County compared to 2016.

Stark County Coroner's Office records show 21 people died this year at the hands of another and the vast majority of those were in Canton. A 22nd homicide, Charles Eutsey, was shot in Stark County but died in Summit County. Four more have been identified by police as suspected homicide cases, although the coroner's office has not officially ruled. In 2016, the county listed 16 cases of homicide.

Two of the people were killed by police officers later cleared as a justifiable use of force.

This year, all but two homicide victims, who range in age from 5 to 71, suffered gunshot wounds. Last year, all but three of the 16 victims were shot to death.

It was the deadliest year in the city of Canton's history, at least as far back as 1965, the year for which the current Detective Bureau maintains records. Detectives were summoned to investigate 17 cases of murder, or 77 percent of the county's 22 homicides.

This year was also deadlier for women than last year. Six women and a female child died at the hands of another person compared to one in 2016.

Investigators said all six of the homicides Stark County Sheriff's deputies investigated this year have been solved, as have the homicides investigated by Massillon, Jackson Township and Uniontown police. Of the 17 homicides that took place in Canton, seven remain unsolved.